Preference 4. High-quality, natural and authentic materials
Any view is mediated through its materiality – what it is made of. Some materials are associated with quality and are perceived as attractive, others are not.
Warm-toned, natural, locally sourced, and textured materials – whether in paving or facades – are associated with beauty.
The development of Poundbury on the edge of Dorchester is famous for its use of classical and vernacular styles. Perhaps more important as character giving elements are the materials from which it is made which are largely natural and locally sourced, both for the public realm and buildings. While ‘special’ elements incorporate stone and handmade bricks (left), much of the development is relatively cheaply covered in resin bound gravel and coloured or modulated render (right), offering warmth and texture to the view.
People dislike monotone, artificial, or placeless materials such as unmodulated render, plasticised cladding, curtain glazing or blacktop.
By contrast too many speculative developments are disliked at first sight because of their materials. Materials that cover cheaply and/or in a uniform way and that have none of the variation or resilience of natural materials or the modulation of decorative ones, are disliked. Plasticised cladding and features pretending to be something they are not, are particularly disliked. If detailing is poor and maintenance poorly considered (e.g. access to services under blacktop) rapid dilapidation makes matters worse.